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    Home » Vegetable Recipes » Quick Pickles

    Quick Pickles

    Last updated: May 8, 2023 · Recipes developed by Vered DeLeeuw and nutritionally reviewed by Rachel Benight MS, RD · This website generates income via ads and uses cookies.

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    These homemade quick pickles are ready in just a few hours rather than the few weeks it takes for traditional ones.

    They are delightful! They're crisp and flavorful and make a wonderful addition to any entree.

    Quick pickles served in a glass jar with a red-and-white checkered napkin on the lid.

    I really enjoy making homemade pickles. They are so wonderfully crispy and flavorful, and it's fun to change things up and use different vegetables, vinegar types, and seasonings.

    I almost always have a jar of these refrigerator pickles in the fridge. I especially enjoy them with various cold leftover meat slices for my lunch.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Variations
    • Quick Pickles Instructions
    • Expert Tip
    • Recipe FAQs
    • Serving Suggestions
    • Storing Leftovers
    • Related Recipes
    • Recipe Card

    Ingredients

    You'll only need a few simple ingredients to make these quick pickles. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below. Here's an overview of what you'll need:

    • Vegetables: I like to use green beans, cauliflower florets, and mini peppers. But you can use any vegetables you like. Cucumbers are an obvious choice, and carrots or radishes are good too.
    • Vinegar: I like to use white wine vinegar or champagne vinegar.
    • Garlic cloves: I use a couple of whole peeled garlic cloves to add flavor to the brining solution.
    • Sweetener: This is optional, but it helps balance out the acidity of the vinegar. You can use any granulated sweetener or the equivalent in stevia. The nutrition info below assumes that a non-nutritive sweetener was used.
    • Salt and spices: I use kosher salt, whole peppercorns, whole coriander, and a dry bay leaf.

    Variations

    The recipe listed below is just a rough guideline. It's really fun to change things up!

    For example, you can change up the vinegar you use. I like to use champagne vinegar. White wine vinegar is also good. However, as mentioned above, I don't recommend using distilled white vinegar. It's too acidic.

    You can also make these pickles spicy by adding a couple of hot chili peppers to the pickling jar. Just make sure no one actually tries to eat them!

    Quick Pickles Instructions

    Traditional pickling is an elaborate process, but making these refrigeraor pickles is easy. Scroll down to the recipe card for detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps:

    • Your first step is to prep the vegetables and then pack them tightly into a glass jar, leaving ½ inch of space at the top. (Photo 1).
    • Next, prepare the brine: Combine water, vinegar, garlic, sweetener, salt, and spices in a small saucepan. Stir to dissolve the sweetener and the salt. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. (Photo 2).
    • Allow the mixture to slightly cool, then pour it over the vegetables. (Photo 3).
    • Cover the jar tightly, allow it to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it for at least six hours and preferably overnight. (Photo 4).
    A six-photo collage showing the steps for making quick refrigerator pickles.

    Expert Tip

    As quick as this recipe is, you still want to allow the pickles to rest for several hours in the fridge. You definitely don't want to eat them right away or even within a couple of hours of making them.

    Let the tasty brine do its magic! Ideally, you'll allow the veggies to sit in the brine overnight before enjoying them.

    Recipe FAQs

    What vegetables are good for pickling?

    The combination presented in the recipe card below is the one I use most often, but you can use any sturdy vegetable.

    I often use green beans, cauliflower florets, and mini peppers. But other vegetables that should work well are thick spears of asparagus, firm cucumbers, and radishes.

    Can I omit the sweetener?

    While adding a sweetener is optional, I do recommend it. It balances out the acidity of the vinegar. But it's really a matter of personal preference. My husband actually prefers a version without any sweetener.

    As for what sweetener to use, I like to use a sugar-free granulated sweetener. You can use white sugar if you'd like or even stevia.

    Can I use regular vinegar?

    I don't recommend using distilled white vinegar in this recipe. It's highly acidic and won't taste as good, in my opinion.

    Serving Suggestions

    These pickles are perfect with hamburgers! I serve them with baked hamburgers, grilled hamburgers, broiled hamburgers, bison burgers, lamb burgers, and turkey burgers.

    I also like to make myself a lunch plate with cold cuts, cheese, hard-boiled eggs (or deviled eggs), and quick pickles. It's one of my favorite lunches. 

    Rather than store-bought cold cuts, I often use cold leftover meat or chicken, including:

    • Tri-tip roast
    • Lamb shanks
    • Chopped liver
    • Turkey legs
    • Skirt steak
    • Flank steak
    • Flat iron steak
    • London broil
    • Grilled chicken breast
    • Cold chicken drumsticks

    Storing Leftovers

    You can keep these pickles in the fridge, in an airtight glass jar or container, for about a week. Being homemade, they don't contain preservatives, so they won't last as long as store-bought pickles.

    Quick pickles served in a glass jar.

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    Recipe Card

    Quick pickles are stored in a glass jar.
    4.97 from 27 votes
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    Quick Pickles

    These quick pickles are ready in a few hours rather than a few weeks. They are crisp and flavorful, a wonderful addition to any entree.
    Prep Time15 minutes mins
    Cook Time5 minutes mins
    Rest time6 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
    Total Time6 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
    Course: Side Dish
    Cuisine: American
    Servings: 8 servings
    Calories: 10kcal
    Author: Vered DeLeeuw
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    Ingredients

    Vegetables:

    • ¾ cup cauliflower florets (use small florets)
    • ¾ cup green beans trimmed and cut in half
    • ¾ cup mini peppers I leave them whole; you can cut them in half

    For the brine:

    • 1 ¼ cup water
    • ¾ cup white wine vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt or ½ tablespoon of any other salt
    • 1 tablespoon granulated sweetener
    • 2 garlic cloves peeled
    • 1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
    • 1 tablespoon whole coriander
    • 1 bay leaf

    Instructions

    • Place the vegetables in a 20-ounce glass jar or in a lidded glass storage container. Make sure it's made from thick glass that can withstand near-boiling water. Pack the vegetables in tightly, leaving ½-inch of space at the top.
    • Prepare the brine: Combine the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan. Stir to dissolve the salt and the sweetener. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat.
    • Allow the brine to slightly cool, then pour it over the vegetables. It helps to pour the brine from the saucepan into a measuring cup, then use the spout to pour it into the jar. The brine should cover the vegetables completely. If it doesn't, you'll need to make more.
    • Close the jar tightly, cool to room temperature (about 30 minutes), then refrigerate the pickles for 6 hours or overnight.

    Video

    Notes

    In the nutritional info, I assumed that the vegetables absorb ½ of the vinegar and the salt. This is just a rough estimate, though.
    This recipe is just a rough guideline. It's really fun to change things up! For example, you can change up the vinegar you use. I like to use champagne vinegar. White wine vinegar is also good. However, I don't recommend using distilled white vinegar. It's too acidic.
    You can also make these pickles spicy by adding a couple of hot chili peppers to the pickling jar. Just make sure no one actually tries to eat them!
    You can keep these pickles in the fridge, in an airtight glass jar or container, for about a week. Being homemade, they don't contain preservatives, so they won't last as long as store-bought pickles.

    Add Your Own Notes

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    Nutrition per Serving

    Calories: 10kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 0.5g | Fat: 0.2g | Sodium: 214mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g
    SubscribeI typically publish a new or updated recipe once a week. Want the new recipes in your inbox? Subscribe today! You can unsubscribe at any time.
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    DisclaimersMost of our recipes are low-carb (or keto) and gluten-free, but some are not. Please verify that a recipe fits your needs before using it. Recommended and linked products are not guaranteed to be gluten-free. Nutrition info is approximate and the carb count excludes non-nutritive sweeteners. Nutrition info may contain errors, so please verify it independently. Recipes may contain errors, so please use your common sense when following them. Please read our Terms of Use carefully before using any of our recipes.

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    About the Author

    Vered Deleeuw Vered DeLeeuw, LL.M., CNC, has been following a low-carb real-food diet and blogging about it since 2011. She's a Certified Nutrition Coach (NASM-CNC), has taken courses at the Harvard School of Public Health, and has earned a Nutrition and Healthy Living Certificate from Cornell University. Her work has appeared in several major media outlets, including Healthline, HuffPost, Today, Women's Health, Shape, and Country Living. Click to learn more about Vered.

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    Healthy Recipes Blog was founded in 2011 by Vered DeLeeuw. It features real-food recipes with a focus on low-carb and gluten-free ingredients. All recipes are nutritionally reviewed by a Registered Dietitian. Contact us at HealthyRecipesBlog@gmail.com.


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